Quinn wants to shorten election season

Gov. Pat Quinn said Friday that Illinois’ political campaign season should be condensed, so he wants lawmakers to push back the primary election date by seven months, from February to September.

Adriana Colindres

Gov. Pat Quinn said Friday that Illinois’ political campaign season should be condensed, so he wants lawmakers to push back the primary election date by seven months, from February to September.

“We don’t need perpetual campaigns and perpetual campaign fundraising in Illinois,” he said. “I think the campaign schedule, the election schedule, is one that too often contributes to that problem of perpetual campaigning.”

The second Tuesday of September “would be a good time” for the primary, he said.

In addition to shortening the campaign season, a later primary date would give state officials more time to focus on fixing problems in Illinois’ government, Quinn said.

“I think that’s what you do after a political disaster or a natural disaster. You have to repair the damage, rather than keep doing the same old thing,” he said at a news conference outside his State Capitol office.

Friday was Quinn’s first full day as the 41st governor of Illinois. The former lieutenant governor took over the top job on Thursday after the state Senate finished its impeachment trial of Rod Blagojevich and voted 59-0 to remove him as governor. Quinn won’t be replaced as lieutenant governor.

He brought up the plan for an earlier primary date while responding to a question about whether he’d run for governor in 2010. He didn’t say if he would.

Just two years ago, the legislature and Blagojevich decided to move up Illinois’ primary date from March to February. They said the earlier date would give Illinois greater influence in choosing the 2008 presidential nominees, including Democrat Barack Obama.

“We keep bouncing it around for different situations,” said Rep. Tim Schmitz, R-Batavia.

He and other lawmakers said Friday they’re willing to consider Quinn’s proposal for a later primary date. But some thought that September might be too late.

“I’m not entirely sold on September,” said Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno. “I’m definitely open to moving it.”

But he noted that whenever House Democrats have discussed changing the primary election date, they’ve never been able to agree on what the new date should be.

Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton, said he is “definitely open to hearing ideas about how to increase participation in the voting process.”

Earlier this month, Republican Sen. Dale Risinger of Peoria also raised the idea of a later primary. His proposed legislation that would set Illinois’ primary election date in June during even-numbered years.

“You know what? I’d love to move it to September,” Risinger said Friday after hearing about Quinn’s remarks. “I’m flexible with it.”

Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, is working on similar legislation, which would schedule the primary for August.

A September primary date could prove troublesome for county election officials.

Sangamon County Clerk Joe Aiello said a shorter campaign season “might be good for everybody.” But a September primary would be “a little too close to the November election” from an administrative standpoint, he said.

David Morrison of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform said his group would favor a later primary date.

“But that’s not the issue that we think needs everybody’s attention right now,” he said. “The things that need doing now are fixing up campaign finance and improving ethics in government.”

Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com. Eric Naing and Andrew Thomason contributed to this story.